Kesha Triumphs on Sweeping, Powerful ‘Praying': Watch the Video

Kesha has risen from the ashes: The pop star released her first proper new music, "Praying," on Thursday, July 6—and it is a powerful manifesto to her strength as an artist, a woman, and a warrior.

Written alongside Ryan Lewis (Macklemore & Lewis), Ben Abraham and Andrew Joslyn, the sweeping, emotionally-charged piano ballad showcases Kesha's soaring vocals like never before. The track also marks the first release off her long-awaited third album, and her first new record in nearly five years, Rainbow.

Watch the psychedelic video for "Praying," filmed in part at Salvation Mountain in California, below:

In a special message penned for Lenny Letter, Kesha writes, "'Praying,' my first single in almost four years, comes out today. I have channeled my feelings of severe hopelessness and depression, I've overcome obstacles, and I have found strength in myself even when it felt out of reach. I've found what I had thought was an unobtainable place of peace. This song is about coming to feel empathy for someone else even if they hurt you or scare you. It's a song about learning to be proud of the person you are even during low moments when you feel alone. It's also about hoping everyone, even someone who hurt you, can heal."

"I know that I was never abandoned by my fans, my animals, or my family, but when you are depressed — really, truly depressed — you feel like you have nothing," she continues. "Even having my kitties sleeping next to me in my darkest of hours couldn't bring me light. It is in these moments when even the most cynical among us are forced to turn to something other than ourselves — we turn to prayer, or something like it. You look past your shame, past your desire to hide, and admit you need help."

"...I hope this song reaches people who are in the midst of struggles, to let them know that no matter how bad it seems now, you can get through it. If you have love and truth on your side, you will never be defeated. Don't give up on yourself.

Due out August 11 on Kemosabe/RCA Records, Rainbow will feature collaborations with Eagles of Death Metal and Dolly Parton, who will guest star on a cover of her 1980 hit, "Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You."